Iran Warns UK Over US Base Access, Says Britain ‘Putting Lives at Risk’ and Will Face Response

Iran has sharply escalated its rhetoric against the United Kingdom after London approved U.S. use of British bases for operations targeting Iranian missile capabilities, with Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warning that the move amounts to dangerous escalation and could trigger retaliation under Iran’s right to self-defence.

File Photo of Seyed Abbas Araghchi Via Onuka on X

In a public statement, Araghchi said a “vast majority of the British people do not want any part” in what he described as a U.S.–Israel war on Iran, and accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of “ignoring his own people” while “putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran.” He added that “Iran will exercise its right to self-defense,” signalling that Tehran views the decision as a direct security threat.

The warning comes hours after Downing Street confirmed that U.S. forces would be allowed to use British bases for “defensive operations” to degrade missile sites targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a move Iran has already described as “participation in aggression” in diplomatic exchanges with London. 

Araghchi’s remarks show a hardening Iranian position as the conflict expands beyond direct U.S.–Israel strikes to include allied infrastructure and staging support, with Tehran increasingly signalling that countries enabling such operations could be drawn into the confrontation. 

The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global energy supplies flows, has become the central flashpoint, with repeated attacks on shipping and energy facilities raising the stakes for all actors involved.

While the UK has maintained that it is not directly participating in strikes and continues to call for de-escalation, Iran’s response underscores the risk that logistical or basing support could blur the line between indirect and direct involvement as the war widens.

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